The Truth Behind the Viral “Nebraska Walz’s for Trump” Image
Recently, a viral image has been making the rounds online, claiming to show family members of Minnesota governor and Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz wearing shirts endorsing Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Even Trump himself reposted the image on his Truth Social page.
Many of our VERIFY readers, including Judy and Karen, have reached out to inquire about the authenticity of this image.
The Question
Is the photo of Tim Walz’s family wearing shirts in support of Donald Trump real?
The Sources
- TinEye, a reverse image search tool
- Rod Edwards, Charles W. Herbster’s spokesperson, on behalf of the members of the Walz family in Nebraska
The Answer
Yes, the photo of Tim Walz’s family wearing shirts in support of Donald Trump is indeed real.
What We Found
The photo showing members of Tim Walz’s family wearing shirts that say “Nebraska Walz’s for Trump” is authentic. These individuals are actually distant cousins of the vice presidential candidate.
After conducting a reverse image search using TinEye, it was discovered that the image was originally shared by Charles W. Herbster on Sept. 4. Herbster, a Republican candidate for governor in Nebraska in 2021, received an endorsement from Trump during his campaign.
According to Rod Edwards, Herbster’s spokesperson, the individuals in the photo are close family friends of Herbster, who was given permission to share the photo. In a statement on behalf of the Walz family, Edwards confirmed the authenticity of the photo, stating, “The picture is real. The shirts are real. We are the Nebraska Walz family and we are related to Gov. Tim Walz, our grandfathers were brothers.”
It’s worth noting that while this viral image is legitimate, there are also fabricated images circulating online, generated through artificial intelligence. One such image, shared by a Donald Trump parody account, shows Trump surrounded by individuals wearing “Walz’s for Trump” shirts, but upon closer inspection, inconsistencies in the image reveal its artificial nature.
For instance, there are discrepancies in the number of fingers on one individual and the positioning of glasses on another individual’s head.
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